I decided to study psychology after seeing a psychologist myself. Therapy freed me from confusion and emotional burden, opening an opportunity to make the most of my life.
From this experience, I decided to help others through hearing their stories.
Education
2014: Ph.D., Counseling Psychology, University of Oregon
2010: M.S., Counseling Psychology and Human Services, University of Oregon
2001: B.A., Psychology, UC Davis
2001: B.S., Biology, UC Davis
Specialty Areas
Although my education as a psychologist has been broad, I have additional training in the areas of eating disorders and relationship issues.
Eating disorders: I worked for two years as an eating disorders specialist at the University of Oregon, during which I provided integrated care for clients with body image concerns and eating disorders. In this role, I co-facilitated an eating disorders treatment team, ran therapy groups, and provided eating disorder assessments and therapy.
Relationship Issues: My primary training as a psychologist has been interpersonal process therapy, and I work with clients from the perspective that healthy relationships are at the core of mental health. Within this focus, I have taken care to learn about dynamics that can get in the way of intimacy and trust, including miscommunication and misunderstandings, betrayal, and problematic attachment styles. I also have specialized knowledge of how power dynamics affect relationships through my past research and work with women survivors of partner violence.
Additional areas of interest
Career indecision
Alcohol and other drug use
Perfectionism and procrastination
Stress management and sleep issues
Social anxiety/shyness, generalized anxiety, and panic
Depression, feeling alone, joyless, self-critical, or struggle with existential questions
Cultural Identities
I am deeply committed to providing culturally competent therapy. This means I will strive to learn about your cultural identities with openness and respect to make sure that the work we are doing fits with who you are. I also actively explore and question my own privileges and biases to maintain awareness of how our cultural identities might interact in sessions. Multicultural topics about which I have the most experience include:
Ethnicity and race
Gender and Women’s issues
Ability / Disability identity
Power dynamics at work or home
Experiences of oppression and discrimination
Immigrant experience and bicultural identity
Socioeconomic status and Social class jumping
I equally value and am striving to increase my competence with multicultural identities not mentioned above, including sexual orientation, gender identity, religion and spirituality, and indigenous heritage.